May 3, 2004

Julie Fleeting hat-trick gives Arsenal the FA Cup for the 6th time

May 3, 2003-04,

Queen Park Rangers FC

London, England

by Colin A. Aldis

The final of the FA Cup was between Arsenal, one of the established top clubs in England, and Charlton Athletic, the latest club with proper support from the men's Premiership club to have a chance to win one of the major competitions. Having led the FA Premier League for many weeks, and recently having won the FA Premier League Cup Final, it was Charlton Athletic who would hope to win the coveted treble in domestic football.

The match was played at Loftus Road in West London, home to QPR and borrowed by Fulham FC, on a dreadful cold and wet bank holiday Monday May 3rd 2004, and shown live on BBC 1 TV.

Arsenal has lifted the trophy five times in the last fourteen years, and have always won a final they have reached. This was only the second attempt for Charlton who beat Arsenal in the Semi-final of the FA Premier League Cup. It was difficult to decide who would be the favorite.

But Arsenal manager Vic Akers finally signed the top British striker Julie Fleeting, arguably second only to Kelly Smith who used to play for Arsenal before finding fame and fortune in the USA. After the retirement of Angela Banks, and the departure of Marieanne Spacey to Fulham, this was the deciding factor for the 'Gunners' to get back to winning silverware again. After missing out on top spot last season in the three main competitions, Arsenal has gone on to win their 18th trophy in 18 seasons since the club was formed in an amalgamation with Aylesbury LFC.

With so much international experience in the Arsenal line-up, despite some of the players involved with matches for England U-19, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland in the last 3 days, in the first half it soon became apparent they were stronger on the day.  After 23 minutes, 16 year old Lianne Sanderson managed to get free on the right of the penalty area and sent a low cross to Julie Fleeting. She slipped and shot, with the ball flicking off the hand of keeper Pauline Cope before going into the centre of the goal. The recently retired England Number one keeper,was destined to see her team lose a second final in a row, although she has three Cup winners medals. Next a wriggle past three defenders by Fleeting, was followed by a strong left foot shot which deflected off the rear of captain Casey Stoney past the despairing dive of Pauline Cope.

Although there were no changes at half-time Charlton showed their usual team spirit and put pressure on Arsenal, but they lacked the clinical finish of the Scottish international. Arsenal's Irish keeper Emma Byrne, who had to fly back from Romania for the match along with Ciara Grant after their Saturday UEFA International, was only troubled once by a header from Carmaine Walker. After Charlton made their three substitutions, which did not include American born student Susan Rea who could be heading home with 2 runners-up medals from the FA Cup and a winners medal from the League Cup as well as her Cambridge doctorate, it was Julie Fleeting (a BUSA winner for Edinburgh, and a BUGS winner for Scotland) who sealed the victory with another shot that also deflected off the rear of a Charlton player. This time off Danielle Murphy, who joined the club from University of Florida.

So with one match to go in the FA Premier League, Arsenal could win the double (unlike the men), while Charlton could also win a double, as they still lead the National Division. Arsenal v Fulham is the deciding match. If Fulham winat Highbury with former Gunner Marieanne Spacey who is now their head coach, it would give the best three clubs in the land a trophy each.

Scoring

Julie Fleeting (23,25,85 mins)

Yellow Cards

Arsenal

Kirsty Pealling (57 min)

Jane Ludlow (81 min)

Charlton

Pauline Cope (88 min)

Arsenal

Byrne, Emma (GK)

Pealling, Kirsty

White, Faye (Capt)

Asante, Anita

Champ, Leanne

Wheatley, Clare

Ludlow, Jane

Grant, Ciara

Maggs, Ellen (Scott, Alex, 92)

Fleeting, Julie (Lorton, Justine, 92)

Sanderson, Lianne (Potter, Jo,74)

Substitutes not used

Williams, Sian

Harwood, Carol

Head Coach Vic Akers

Charlton Athletic

Cope, Pauline (GK)

Stoney, Casey (Capt)

Hills, Karen

Murphy, Danielle

Fletcher, Julie (Coss, Emma, 70)

Smith, Jessica (Hunn, Alexa, 81)

Williams, Fara

Broadhurst, Joanne

Barr, Amanda

Walker, Carmaine

Heatherson,Ann-Marie (Aluko, Eniola, 70)

Substitutes not used

Rea, Susan

Law, S (GK)

Head Coach Keith Boanas

Referee Amy Rayner